www.westernleader.co.nz
8 WESTERN LEADER, JANUARY 24, 2012
NEWS
Slow down
around schools
A chance for young musicians
Musical messages: Co-ordinator Simon Matafai encourages young people to enter the Rio+20 Global Youth Music Contest.
Photo: NICOLA MURPHY
By NICOLA MURPHY
Go to www.westernleader.
co.nz to watch a video on the
Global Youth Music Contest.
A talented Avondale man is
doing his part to change the
world through music.
Simon Matafai is the
national co-ordinator of the
Rio+20 Global Youth Music
Contest being run in conjunc-
tion with the Rio+20 Earth
Summit, a conference on
sustainable development held
in Brazil in June.
Mr Matafai is promoting
the contest within New Zea-
land and is looking for people
uptotheageof30towrite
and perform their own music
and upload a video to the
competition s website.
Viewers will vote on their
favourite from those entered
around the world and the two
winners, one aged under 15
and one aged between 15 and
30, will be flown to Rio de
Janeiro to perform their
music at the conference.
It s a creative way for
youth to voice our concerns
for the future, Mr Matafai
says.
That could mean anything
from unemployment and a
lack of job opportunities to
natural disasters.
It s a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity. You could be on
your way to showcasing your
music and your messages to
the world.
That s something the
23-year-old knows a lot
about.
He returned to New Zea-
land from Durban, South
Africa in December where he
represented New Zealand at
the United Nations Climate
Change Conference as a
youth delegate.
Mr Matafai hopes to boost
Pacific Island representation
at these events because of the
drastic effect climate change
has on that part of the world.
New Zealand youth dele-
gate co-convenor Rachel Dob-
ric worked with Mr Matafai
during the South African con-
ference and suggested he put
his name forward to be the
Global Youth Music Contest
national co-ordinator.
Simon has a great deal of
experience in music and
working with youth.
He has a great ability to
build networks and appeal to
people, she says.
Entries close on March 18.
Voting opens the following
day and closes on May 19.
Visit www.global-rockstar.net
for more information.
Chan a
finalist
for award
Great achievement: Elizabeth Chan has a one in three
chance of winning Young New Zealander of the Year.
By NICOLA MURPHY
A former west Auck-
lander has been selected
as a finalist for the
Young New Zealander of
the Year competition.
Elizabeth Chan lived
in West Harbour until
last year before moving
to Wellington for work.
The 22-year-old vol-
unteers as president of
UN Youth New Zealand
as well as being a
student advocate assist-
ing students with legal
support and the Refugee
Services.
She has also been
involved in a project tell-
ing the stories of
trailblazing women law-
yers.
I m really excited to
be a finalist, it s such an
honour, she says.
Miss Chan is up
against a Bluff resident
whose marine science
project has been inter-
nationally recognised
and the founder and
leader of the Student
Volunteer Army in
Christchurch.
Avondale s Mother of
Divine Mercy Refuge
manager Susana Fiu
Fetalai was a semi-
finalist for New Zea-
lander of the Year but
did not make the final
selection.
Former Prime Minis-
ter Jim Bolger who is an
award patron and judge,
says the calibre of
nominations this year
has been extremely high.
It s humbling to know
that there are so many
Kiwis out there who are
contributing signif-
icantly to the positive
growth of our nation. I
feel honoured and privi-
leged to be part of these
awards, he says.
The winners of the five
categories will be an-
nounced at a gala dinner
at the Langham in cen-
tral Auckland on Febru-
ary 16.
Winners will receive a
trophy and $5000 to-
wards their work.